There are so many diet plans out there. Each one of them is meant to achieve a specific objective, ranging from weight loss to overall body health. If you have been with trends in these diet plans, you must have heard of the ketogenic diet. In this article, we will answer your question, “Why was the ketogenic diet created?”
This is a guest post by Joel of Simple Keto Test! Take it away, Joel!
What is the Keto Diet?
Today we want to focus on a different aspect of the keto diet, starting from the reason why it was created. You will agree with me that keto is one of the oldest diet plans. But it continues to gain popularity with time. What makes it trendy?
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The ketogenic diet is a low carb diet plan that has proven effective in weight loss as well as improving the symptoms of such disorders. The diet restricts the intake of carbohydrates, which are the primary sources of energy under ordinary conditions.
How does the keto diet work?
It is referred to as a ketogenic diet since individuals who follow it can adjust from using glucose as the primary fuel to ketones, which results from the breakdown of fat.
Individuals on keto can utilize fat stores within their bodies as fuel, and this is the main reason why the diet plan is useful when it comes to weight loss. In general, keto requires high fat intake, moderate protein and low carbohydrates.
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Why Was the Keto Diet Plan Created?
The main idea behind the creation of the keto diet plan was to enhance body health.Restricting the intake of carbohydrates and taking healthy fats keep the body in a fasted state. In this condition, ketones are burned at the expense of glucose, and this results in good health.
This was supposed to be achieved using a simple meal plan that involves 5-10% carbs, 20-30% protein, and 70-80% fat. A keto macro calculator can help you in this regard.
In general, when you limit the intake of carbs, the breakdown of fat begins, providing alternative fuels known as ketones. This condition has remarkable health and weight benefits.
Fasting for health
There is a historical pattern for fasting for health, that didn’t include the keto diet. Traditionally, Greek physicians advocated for diet restrictions in treating conditions such as epilepsy along with other health issues.
Fasting was perceived as an integral aspect of a healthy lifestyle. Indisputably, fasting is the only therapy found in the Hippocrates and was a regular practice in many parts of the world for more than two thousand years.
Even though many individuals today take keto diet with a view of facilitating weight loss, or general body health, the diet plan originated as a treatment strategy for epilepsy.
According to a study conducted in France in the year 1911, epilepsy patients who had taken low-calorie nutriments supplemented with fasting sessions had fewer seizures as well as lesser health effects from the condition.
Controlling Seizures
Nearly the same period, an American doctor, Hugh Conklin, started to instruct his epileptic patients to fast to control seizures. He achieved a 50% success rate among adults and 90% for children.
While fasting had proven effective, fasts were temporary. Several patients had their seizures resurfaced after resuming their normal diets. Some physicians experimented with modified fasts, which aimed at eliminating starch and sugar instead of limiting calories.
Precisely, Dr. Wilder from the Mayo Clinic established that some epilepsy patients experienced lesser seizures upon lowering of their blood sugar with a high-fat and low-carb diet. As a result, he developed the ketogenic diet as a strategy of mimicking the kind of metabolism fasting provides.
The foundation of the keto diet
The foundation of the keto diet was simple; the fasted state could be maintained indefinitely in case individuals could limit their intake of carbohydrates to let the body burn fat rather than glucose.
In simple terms, following the diet to the latter stimulated the body to act metabolically as though it were starving while the individuals still consume enough calories along with other nutrients to remain comfortable.
Dr Peterman, also from Mayo Clinic, standardized the diet plan into what was referred to as “classic keto“, an approach that is still usable even today.
A ratio of 4:1 is advocated for fat, protein, and carbohydrates. And 90% of calories are obtained from fat, 6% from protein, and 4% from carbohydrates. Evidently, the ketogenic diet has a long history.
Ketogenic Diet and Weight Loss
The diet plan was offered in hospitals as a useful option for epileptic patients. Nowadays, the diet has been made available in many of the children’s hospitals across the world. It has continuously attracted the interest of scientists in, specifically in dealing with neurological disorders.
Importantly, people today use a ketogenic diet for weight loss. It is not very clear when the diet plan attracted interest in weight loss, though in the 1990s the Atkins diet along with other eating plans with a similar approach to carbs was common.
To effectively use the ketogenic diet plan to lose weight, you must be careful to maintain ketosis. Maintaining ketosis is a state in which the body specifically uses ketones as the primary source of energy. If this state is not maintained, you cannot lose weight.
How do you maintain ketosis?
But what can you do to maintain the ketosis? Well, as we mentioned at the outset, you must ensure that you are consuming the macronutrients in the right proportion. A ketogenic diet supplemented with MCT oil for weight loss has been very effective in this regard.
MCT Oil
MCT oil is very beneficial because they do not undergo the usual digestion process. Once consumed, they are taken directly into the liver and broken down to produce ketones.
However, if taken in large doses, MCT oil or powder may cause some side effects. So, taking it in the form of a supplement, such as MCT Wellness, can offer significant benefits, including sustained energy, enhanced cognitive health, and increased satiety, all of which may contribute to weight loss.
The Bottom Line on Why the Ketogenic Diet was Created
Keto diet was created as an alternative treatment for epilepsy. With time, it proved useful in weight loss. It is essential to have a look at your daily intake of calories.
Even though calories may not impact ketosis, it may have a significant influence on the amount of weight it will be losing. The quantity of carbs taken while on keto varies between individuals. In case you are on a strict keto diet, your carbs intake should be limited to 20 grams.
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If you are new to keto, or you want to get started, we advise that you first talk to your physician. Remember, any significant adjustment in diet can have devastating consequences on your overall body health.
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Are you on the keto diet? Do you want to know more about why the ketogenic diet was created? Let us know in the comments.
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